Sock Sketches

◊ Do you have certain patterns planned for [sock] yarns? Do you buy yarn and then choose a pattern? I buy sock yarn without thinking of patterns, just for the colors. I'm mad about colors, you see. I have lots of patterns in my head; I sketch a few designs, knit some swatches, make notes.... then I either knit it or forget it. More likely the latter, since climbing tends to get in the way!

◊ Does a certain sock yarn you have in your stash take you back to a certain event? The Lorna's Laces I took with me to Europe to make a batch of socks with. I remember knitting baby socks in Barcelona, Sitges, Las Almunias, all sorts of places. Dang, I want to go back.

Consider the diamond pattern, in knit, purl, and moss stitches, and in a knit-purl outline. Readjust to match my gauge of 29 sts and 40 rows on US1 double points. Readjust again, doubling rows, to prevent the squashiness that 40 rows per inch would force. Click images to enlarge.

Some experimentation in just diamonds.

A couple in argyle.

And finally, the pattern I selected. It is by no means an original design: it's just diamonds, which can be of any width or height. Mine is 7 stitches by 14 rows to accommodate my gauge and foot measurements. If you had graph paper, or Adobe Illustrator, or even Microsoft Office, you could make your own design. The yarn is so, so fine that I decided that cables would be too much. Lace would be as well. So, texture in knit and purl.

And my progress so far.

Just for fun, I'm calling this "pattern" Arlecchino, which is Italian for harlequin. Mine doesn't have the riotous colors of the costume worn by the harlequin, but it's the same lines. I'm already past the heel and should be done with it by the time we get back from points North (you know what I'm doing, don't you). Have a good weekend!